Monday, February 26, 2018

The Thunderbird is a property I've never paid much attention to, for no particular reason. I wasn't offended by it's Native American theme, that's not really my style. That being said, I will saythe theme was about as interesting to me as the cowboy motif at the El Rancho or the Last Frontier. Being a child of technology, harkening back to a day when it didn't have anything isn't my idea of a vacation, it sounds like torture. One of the most fascinating things about Las Vegas is its unique ability to take things I normally wouldn't find interesting and make them appealing. The Thunderbird might be the perfect example of that phenomenon.If you are interested in more information regarding the Thunderbird, check out...

Saturday, February 17, 2018

The Thunderbird had an entertainment slogan, "You saw it first at the Thunderbird", priding itself on their ability to attract big name talent to perform at their property before anywhere else. One night, during a dinner show that involved a horse, in the middle of the production, the horse decided it needed to...relieve itself, right on the stage, at a time when showrooms were also dining rooms and tables were located so close to the stage, they touched it. The stage lights were quickly dimmed and the resident MC distracted the audience while the mess was cleaned up. Once the show was ready to resume, attempting to make light of the situation, the announcer said "Remember everyone, you saw it first at the Thunderbird". The crowd responded with thunderous laughter and the slogan became infamous

Twitpic of the week

The longer I do the Twitpic of the week the more I get to stumble across pictures like this.Pictures I logistically knew existed but hadn't had the opportunity to enjoy until that one fatefully day when @TonyIllia shares it and the history twitch in me starts to tingle.Good god, look at all the awesome in this picture.First, the fucking Flamingo Capri!There just aren't enough pictures of the structure that started as an affiliate property to her namesake before evolving into its only thing, best known as Imperial Palace.Just behind it, the Holiday Casino Riverboat, a concept originally approved to be built in between the Flamingo Capri and the Flamingo. But possibly my favorite part of this picture is the trick your eye plays on you when you look at it. Like an optical illusion, what your mind knows and what it's actually seeing conflict with one another. The Flamingo and it's multiple high rise towers have existed for so long that, at first, this picture appears to be documenting a time when the property only had one of its 4 hotel towers.Then you remember, Flamingo's first hotel tower didn't face east and west, it was north and south, and located right off the strip.Once your eyes re-adjust, what you'll realize is that tower isn't attached to the Flamingo at all.It belongs to the Holiday Inn.Then it hits you; the Flamingo was a low-rise property for over 30 years. This picture is documenting the final remaining years when the Flamingo would look anything like its original concept.For the record, that means the picture was taken before 1976. Soon it will begin its necessary evolution to prevent obsolesces.The feather plum signage will be gone and the cascading feather goblet it's famous for today will be introduced.The porte cochere will be relocated off of Las Vegas BLVD and the casino will be expanded up to the street.In other words, it's about to become the Flamingo you know it as.